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I well understand the concerns of the staff of nearly 40 who are employed by HMRC in the Keighley office.
About three quarters of them are women and about half are part-time. They have expressed concerns about the extra travel time and the availability of transport links from their home area to alternative offices. They have also, like my hon. Friend, expressed concern about the impact on the local economy and local communities if jobs such as these are relocated. Those are all concerns that will be taken into account.
We will do more than just take into account the views expressed about the dimensions of any possible decision. What has been commissioned now as an integral part of the process is an assessment of the impact of any proposals or decisions for change. That is an assessment of the impact of the proposals on taxpayers, on HMRC’s customers—both businesses and individuals—as well as staff, on local communities and on the local economy. We will also assess the potential impact on the make-up of the HMRC work force. My hon. Friend wants us to reflect on the repercussions of any decisions and to take them into account, and we will do precisely that.
If and when, or once any decisions are made to relocate posts or to close any offices as part of the wider review process, a well planned support process for staff will come into play. It will mean individual meetings and everyone affected will be able to attend them. That will include discussions about whether any moves that might result from the decisions are reasonable in the circumstances of those individuals. If not, HMRC will either provide work for them in a location that is within reach of reasonable daily travel or look to other arrangements such as alternative hours or home working. I hope that that provides some reassurance to my hon. Friend at this point in the process.
In conclusion, I welcome this debate and I welcome my hon. Friend’s interest in this matter. It is a long-term programme. HMRC and responsible Ministers such as the Paymaster General and myself have to weigh up some quite difficult decisions. We have an obligation to the general taxpayer who provides the money to fund our public services. We have an obligation to taxpayers in providing the service that HMRC provides and we also have an obligation to the staff and the unions that represent them.
I am confident that the long-term programme of change that we are looking to put in place will deliver a better and more efficient service for the taxpayers who fund it, and one that is better not only for those who need to pay what is due to HMRC but for those who need to claim from it. The consultation is the vehicle that we are using to take into account the concerns of staff, trade unions, taxpayers and others in the wider local areas. We will take those concerns seriously.
The final decisions on any changes as a result of the west Yorkshire review will come to Ministers and be taken by Ministers in the coming weeks and months. After that point, if there are consequences for the staff involved, every step will be taken to provide them with the support and alternatives that they need, and to take into account the individual circumstances that each and every one of them will face.
Adjourned accordingly at twenty minutes to Seven o’clock.
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